New Delhi: Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of jailed Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk, filed an explosive affidavit in the Supreme Court on Thursday, alleging she is being subjected to “constant surveillance” and harassment by the Rajasthan Police and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The affidavit was filed as part of the main petition challenging Sonam Wangchuk’s detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
Serious Allegations in Affidavit
In her sworn statement, Gitanjali claimed she is being tailed not only in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, but also in Delhi. Citing specific instances, she stated that when she visited her husband in Jodhpur jail on October 7 and 11, she was “immediately escorted” from the airport into a police vehicle.
The most serious allegation is that during her private conversations with her husband in jail, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) identified as Manglesh and a female constable were allegedly present. Gitanjali stated that these officials listened to and took notes of their private conversation. She also informed the court that she was prohibited from meeting anyone else in Jodhpur, calling it a “flagrant violation of rights conferred by the Constitution.”
Background and Legal Context
The case pertains to the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk on September 26. He was detained under the NSA after protests demanding full statehood for Ladakh turned violent, resulting in four deaths. Wangchuk is currently incarcerated in Jodhpur jail.
At a previous hearing on October 15, the central government had informed the court that the grounds for Wangchuk’s arrest had been provided to him. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Gitanjali, had sought time to amend their petition to specifically challenge those grounds. The Supreme Court had also ordered that notes prepared by Wangchuk be shared with his wife and lawyer.
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